METHOD FOR ACQUIRING INFORMATION ABOUT TONER CONTAINER, METHOD FOR SORTERING TONER CONTAINER, METHOD FOR CRUSTALIZING TONER CONTAINER, METHOD FOR PRODUCING TONER CONTAINER, AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING TONER CONTAINER

Abstract

To provide a toner container information acquisition method which allows for estimating a degree of deterioration of a used toner container.SOLUTION: A toner container information acquisition method disclosed herein comprises: measuring the amount of toner contained in a resin constituting a toner container; and acquiring information on mechanical strength of the toner container based on the amount of measured toner particles.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for obtaining information about a toner container, a method for sorting a toner container, a method for crushing a toner container, a method for processing a toner container, and a method for manufacturing a toner container. [Background technology]

[0002] It has been known that used toner containers can be collected and reused (recycled) as raw materials. Collected used toner containers have a small amount of toner that could not be completely discharged or removed. If such containers are crushed, melted, and reprocessed into containers for use, problems such as breakage caused by the toner contained in the toner container and a decrease in the impact strength of the toner container occur. As described above, the problem of toner container deterioration is particularly noticeable when the containers have been recycled many times, so it is important to more accurately estimate the deterioration state of the toner container, separate the toner containers according to the estimated state, and suppress the deterioration of the toner container.

[0003] There are various methods for preventing deterioration of the toner container.

[0004] For example, Patent Document 1 describes a toner container that is made by mixing toner with a raw resin that is compatible with the binder resin of the toner and molding it into a plastic. According to Patent Document 1, the Izod impact strength of the raw resin is set to 8.0 to 13.0 (kgf cm / cm 2 ) and mixed with 30% by weight or less of toner, the Izod impact strength is set to 6.0 to 10.0 (kg cm / cm 2 ) and it is said that it is now possible to recycle containers with toner attached.

[0005] Furthermore, there are various methods for estimating the degree of deterioration of a plastic container due to recycling.

[0006] Patent Document 2 describes a method for determining the number of times a resin material is recycled. According to Patent Document 2, a measurement light is irradiated onto each resin material with a different number of times recycled, and data is prepared in which a first color tone value obtained from the reflected light from the resin material corresponds to the number of times recycled. This makes it possible to determine the number of times recycled of the resin material when the difference between the second color tone value obtained from the target resin material and the first color tone value is within a predetermined range.

[0007] Patent Document 3 describes a method for recycling and sorting thermoplastic crystalline plastics. According to Patent Document 3, the degree of deterioration of a thermoplastic crystalline polymer can be evaluated based on the heat of fusion measured using a thermal analyzer. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0008] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 7-244427 [Patent Document 2] JP 2004-28707 A [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 5-322811 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0009] As disclosed in Patent Document 1, a method for suppressing deterioration of a toner container is known.

[0010] However, with the method of Patent Document 1, the degree of deterioration when recycling existing toner containers is unknown.

[0011] Furthermore, methods are known for estimating the degree of deterioration of a resin container due to recycling, as disclosed in Patent Documents 2 and 3.

[0012] However, the selection methods of Patent Documents 2 and 3 are time-consuming and do not allow simple estimation.

[0013] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned circumstances, and aims to provide a toner container information acquisition method that can estimate the degree of deterioration of a used toner container, a toner container sorting method that sorts toner containers according to the estimated degree of deterioration, a toner container crushing method that prevents damage to toner containers due to deterioration, a toner container processing method, and a toner container manufacturing method. [Means for solving the problem]

[0014] One embodiment of the present invention for solving the above problem relates to a method for obtaining information about a toner container, the method comprising the steps of measuring the amount of toner contained in the resin that forms the toner container, and obtaining information about the mechanical strength of the toner container based on the measured amount of toner.

[0015] Furthermore, one embodiment of the present invention for solving the above problem is a toner container sorting method, which includes the steps of acquiring toner container information by the toner container information acquisition method, and sorting the toner container according to the acquired toner container information.

[0016] Further, according to one embodiment of the present invention for solving the above problem, there is provided a method for crushing a toner container, the method comprising the step of crushing a toner container separated by the above-mentioned method for separating toner containers.

[0017] In addition, one embodiment of the present invention for solving the above problem is a method for processing toner containers, which includes a step of melting and kneading toner containers separated by the above-mentioned toner container sorting method or toner containers crushed by the above-mentioned toner container crushing method, and a step of molding the molten and kneaded product obtained by the melting and kneading.

[0018] In addition, one embodiment of the present invention for solving the above problem is a method for manufacturing a toner container, which includes a step of melting pellets obtained by the above-mentioned toner container processing method, and a step of molding the melted pellets into a toner container. Effect of the Invention

[0019] The present invention provides a toner container information acquisition method capable of estimating the degree of deterioration of a used toner container, a toner container sorting method that sorts toner containers according to the toner container information acquired, a toner container crushing method that prevents damage to toner containers due to deterioration, a toner container processing method, and a toner container manufacturing method. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0020] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a flowchart of a toner container information acquisition method according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the relationship between the number of times of recycling and the amount of toner contained in a container in a specific example of a method for acquiring information about a toner container according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a relationship diagram showing the relationship between the number of recycling times and the total amount of silica particles, titanium oxide particles, and alumina particles contained in the resin that forms the toner container, in a specific example of a method for obtaining information about a toner container according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a flow chart of a method for separating toner containers according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a flow chart of a method for crushing a toner container according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a flow chart of a method for fabricating a toner container according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a flow chart showing details of the process of melting and kneading the toner container in the flow chart of FIG. [Figure 8]FIG. 8 is a flowchart of a method for manufacturing a toner container according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a graph showing the relationship between impact strength and recycled material content in specific examples of the toner container crushing method, the toner container processing method, and the toner container manufacturing method according to the present invention. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the upper limit of the recycled material content at which the impact strength is 8 kJ / mm2 or more for each number of recycling cycles in FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0021] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail. Note that the present invention is not limited to the following embodiment. Note that in this specification, the "recycle count" refers to the number of times a toner container or other resin has been recycled. The "other resin" will be described later.

[0022] 1. How to obtain toner container information FIG. 1 is a flowchart of a toner container information acquisition method according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0023] As shown in FIG. 1, a method for obtaining information about a toner container according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a step of measuring the amount of toner contained in a resin that forms a toner container, and a step of obtaining information about the mechanical strength of the toner container based on the measured amount of toner.

[0024] 1-1. Step of measuring the amount of toner (step S110) In this step, the amount of toner contained in the resin that forms the toner container (hereinafter referred to as container-contained toner) is measured.

[0025] In this process, a toner container from which as much toner as possible has been removed is used. Specific examples include a toner container in an image forming apparatus that has a toner replacement sign on it, or a toner container from which the toner has been sucked out and removed.

[0026] The toner container in the present invention is a resin container. The resin contained in the toner container is not particularly limited as long as it can achieve the effects of the present invention, and examples thereof include synthetic resins such as polyester resin, polyolefin resin, polystyrene resin, polyvinyl chloride resin, acrylic acid, methacrylic acid and their esters, acrylic resin or methacrylic resin obtained by polymerization of acrylonitrile, etc., polyvinyl resin, polycarbonate resin, ABS resin, polyacetal resin, etc. These may be contained alone or in two or more kinds. Polyolefin resin and polystyrene resin are preferred from the viewpoint of less deterioration due to moisture and excellent recyclability.

[0027] The toner container used in the present invention is not particularly limited, and examples of the toner container include a toner cartridge and a toner bottle.

[0028] The shape of the toner cartridge is not particularly limited, but an example is a cylindrical container having an opening and a bottom, with a slide shutter and a toner discharge port provided on the bottom side.

[0029] The shape of the toner bottle is not particularly limited, but is generally an integrated shape formed by blow molding resin. For example, the toner bottle may be a cylindrical container having an overall cylindrical shape, which includes a main body for storing toner and an opening having a function for discharging toner, a function for sealing the toner when covered with a cap, and a function for positioning with the main body of an image forming apparatus.

[0030] The amount of toner measured in this step includes the amounts of toner base particles, external additives, carrier, etc. Therefore, in this step, the amount of toner base particles may be measured, the amount of external additives that have fallen off from the toner base particles may be measured, the amount of carrier may be measured, or the total amount of toner including these may be measured.

[0031] The toner base particles contain a binder resin, and optionally include a colorant, a release agent, a charge control agent, and an external additive.

[0032] The binder resin may be a crystalline resin, an amorphous resin, or a combination thereof.

[0033] The crystalline resin may be a known crystalline resin. Specific examples include crystalline polyester resin, crystalline polyurethane resin, crystalline polyurea resin, crystalline polyamide resin, crystalline polyether resin, etc. The crystalline resin may be used alone or in combination of two or more kinds.

[0034] The amorphous resin is not particularly limited, but examples include homopolymers or copolymers of styrenes such as styrene, parachlorostyrene, and α-methylstyrene, and polyester resins.

[0035] The colorant may be a dye or a pigment. The toner particles constituting the color toner may contain a colorant such as yellow, magenta, cyan, or black, depending on the color tone to be exhibited by the color toner.

[0036] Examples of yellow colorants include yellow dyes, including CI Solvent Yellow 19, 44, 77, 79, 81, 82, 93, 98, 103, 104, 112, and 162, and the like; and yellow pigments, including CI Pigment Yellow 14, 17, 74, 93, 94, 138, 155, 180, and 185, and the like.

[0037] Examples of magenta colorants include magenta dyes, including CI Solvent Red 1, 49, 52, 58, 63, 111, and 122, and the like; and magenta pigments, such as CI Pigment Red 5, 48:1, 53:1, 57:1, 122, 139, 144, 149, 166, 177, 178, and 222, and the like.

[0038] Examples of cyan colorants include cyan dyes such as CI Solvent Blue 25, 36, 60, 70, 93, and 95, and cyan pigments such as CI Pigment Blue 1, 7, 15, 15:3, 60, 62, 66, and 76.

[0039] Examples of black colorants include carbon blacks including channel black, furnace black, acetylene black, thermal black, and lamp black, magnetic materials including ferrite and magnetite, and iron-titanium composite oxides.

[0040] The release agent may be any known wax that can be contained as a release agent in toner particles.

[0041] Examples of the wax include olefin waxes including polyethylene, low molecular weight polypropylene, and oxidized low molecular weight polypropylene, paraffin, and synthetic ester wax. Among these, synthetic ester waxes are preferred because they have a constant melting point and low viscosity, and behenyl behenate, glycerin tribehenate, pentaerythritol tetrabehenate, and the like are more preferred. The toner particles may contain only one type of wax or a combination of multiple types of wax.

[0042] The charge control agent may be any known colorless compound capable of imparting a positive or negative charge to the toner particles by frictional charging and capable of being contained in the toner particles as a charge control agent. The toner particles may contain only one type of charge control agent or a combination of multiple types of charge control agents.

[0043] The external additives may be known fluidizing agents and cleaning agents that are added as post-treatment agents to the surfaces of toner particles in order to enhance the fluidity, chargeability and cleanability of color toners and transparent toners.

[0044] Examples of the external additives include inorganic oxide particles including silica particles, alumina particles, and titanium oxide particles, inorganic stearic acid compound particles including aluminum stearate particles and zinc stearate particles, and inorganic titanic acid compound particles such as strontium titanate particles and zinc titanate particles. These external additives may be surface-treated with a silane coupling agent, a titanium coupling agent, a higher fatty acid, a silicone oil, or the like in order to improve heat-resistant storage stability and environmental stability. Only one type of external additive may be added to the toner particles, or multiple types may be added in combination.

[0045] The carrier is mixed with the toner particles to form a two-component magnetic toner. The carrier may be any known magnetic particle that can be contained in a toner.

[0046] Examples of the magnetic particles include particles containing magnetic materials such as iron, steel, nickel, cobalt, ferrite, and magnetite, as well as alloys of these with aluminum and lead. The carrier may be a coated carrier in which the surface of a particle made of the magnetic material is coated with a resin or the like, or a resin-dispersed carrier in which the magnetic material is dispersed in a binder resin. Examples of the resin for coating include olefin resin, styrene resin, styrene-acrylic resin, silicone resin, polyester resin, and fluororesin. Examples of the binder resin include acrylic resin, styrene-acrylic resin, polyester resin, fluororesin, and phenol resin.

[0047] These toners may adhere strongly to the inner wall surface of the toner container. The inventors have found that the amount of toner contained in the container increases every time the toner container is recycled. This is believed to be because the toner container is melted and remolded with the toner still attached thereto, and the toner is contained in the resin that forms the toner container.

[0048] The inventors have also found that the strength of a toner container is low when the amount of container-contained toner is large. This is believed to be because when the amount of container-contained toner is large, the toner becomes foreign matter and reduces the strength of the toner container. Based on these findings, the inventors have found that the amount of recycled toner containers and the strength of the toner containers can be estimated from the amount of container-contained toner.

[0049] The method for measuring the amount of toner contained in the container is not particularly limited, but examples include an observation measurement method and an elemental analysis method.

[0050] The observation measurement method includes a method of measuring the amount of toner contained in a container by observing the cross section of a fragment of the toner container, and a method of measuring the amount of toner contained in a container by observing the surface of the toner container (surface observation measurement method).

[0051] Specifically, the method for observing and measuring the cross section of a fragment of a toner container is a method for observing the cross section using an optical microscope or the like, processing the observed image, and measuring the amount of toner contained in the container.

[0052] Specifically, the surface observation and measurement method involves observing the surface of the resin that forms the toner container using an optical microscope or the like, processing the observed image, and measuring the amount of toner.

[0053] The observation image may be obtained using a CCD camera equipped with a high-magnification lens. If the difference in color tone between the area containing toner and the area not containing toner is clearly visible, an image of the entire toner container may be taken and the amount of toner may be calculated from the area ratio of the area containing toner by image processing. The toner content level may also be determined based on the ratio of the toner-containing area to the surface area of ​​the toner container.

[0054] The elemental analysis method is a method for measuring the amount of toner by analyzing the amount of a specific element contained in the container-containing toner. Specifically, inorganic particles contained in an external additive contained in the toner are analyzed. Although the method for elemental analysis is not particularly limited, from the viewpoint of the simplicity of the measurement operation and the rapidity of the measurement result, the fluorescent X-ray analysis method is preferred.

[0055] In the present invention, the toner amount may be measured by observing the toner container from the outside or from the inside. The amount of toner obtained by measurement may be an absolute value or a content rate value relative to the toner container.

[0056] 1-2. Step of acquiring information regarding the mechanical strength of the toner container (step S120) In this step, information regarding deterioration of the mechanical strength of the toner container is obtained based on the amount of toner contained in the container measured in the toner amount measuring step.

[0057] Each time a toner container is recycled, the amount of toner contained in the container increases and the mechanical strength decreases, so it can be seen that the greater the amount of toner measured in the process of measuring the amount of toner, the greater the decrease in mechanical strength.

[0058] A specific example of a method for acquiring information about the mechanical strength of a toner container is a method for estimating the number of times of recycling, etc. This makes it possible to acquire information about the mechanical strength of the toner container from the estimated number of times of recycling.

[0059] The method of estimating the number of recycling times is not particularly limited as long as it is based on the amount of toner measured, but from the viewpoint of simple estimation, a method of estimating using a relationship diagram between the number of recycling times and the amount of toner contained in the container is preferred. Specifically, a relationship diagram such as a graph showing the correspondence between a predetermined number of recycling times and the amount of toner contained in the container is created in advance, and the number of recycling times is estimated from the amount of toner measured in the target toner container using the relationship diagram.

[0060] [Specific example] <Creating a relationship diagram between the number of recycling times and the amount of toner particles> <Recycling toner containers> The toner was removed from a toner container (polyethylene resin container) filled with the toner by suction using a suction machine (CV-95H2, manufactured by Hitachi Industrial Equipment Systems Co., Ltd.), and the toner container was then pulverized into flakes using a pulverizer (150-35, manufactured by Rapid Co., Ltd.). The obtained flakes were melt-kneaded using a twin-screw kneader (KTX-30, manufactured by Kobe Steel, Ltd.), extruded, and processed into pellets to form a molding material. Using the obtained molding material, a polyethylene resin container was blow-molded using an extruder (MSD-70E, manufactured by Tahara Co., Ltd.), and the molded toner container was filled with toner. At this time, the number of recycles of the toner container was set to 1, and the above operation was repeated until the number of recycles reached 5.

[0061] <Measurement of the amount of toner contained in the container> After the toner was removed from the toner container with the number of recycles being 1 by suction using the suction machine, the outer surface of the toner container was observed with an optical microscope (VK-X250, manufactured by Keyence Corporation) and an observed image was photographed. The photographed image was binarized using Luzex (manufactured by Nireco Corporation) and the amount of toner contained in the container was measured from the area ratio of the part containing toner to the part not containing toner. The amount of toner was measured in the same manner for toner containers with the number of recycles being 2 to 5, and the relationship between the number of recycles and the amount of toner particles contained in the container is shown in Table 1. The calibration curve shown in FIG. 2 was created based on Table 1.

[0062] [Table 1]

[0063] As shown in Table 1, since there is a correlation between the number of times a toner container is recycled and the amount of toner contained in the container, the number of times the toner container is recycled can be estimated from the amount of toner contained in the container for the toner container in question. Note that the number of times the toner container is recycled estimated by the above calibration curve does not have to be an integer.

[0064] In addition, after the toner was removed by suction from a toner container with a recycling count of 1 using the suction device, the total amount of silica particles, titanium oxide particles, and alumina particles contained in the resin forming the toner container was measured using a fluorescent X-ray analyzer (DELTA, manufactured by OLYMPAS Corporation) with silicon (Si), titanium (Ti), and aluminum (Al) as the objects of elemental analysis. Measurements were also performed in the same manner for toner containers with recycling counts of 2 to 5, and the relationship between the recycling count and the total amount of silica (SiO2) particles, titanium oxide (TiO2) particles, and alumina (Al2O3) particles is shown in Table 2. The calibration curve shown in Figure 3 was created based on Table 2.

[0065] [Table 2]

[0066] As shown in Table 2, there is a correlation between the number of times a toner container has been recycled and the total amount of silica particles, titanium oxide particles, and alumina particles contained in the resin that forms the toner container. Therefore, the number of times a toner container has been recycled can be estimated from the amount of the above particles contained in the resin that forms the toner container in question.

[0067] The measurement results by the fluorescent X-ray analysis as described above can be applied to estimate the number of times of recycling even if the toner base particles of the container-containing toner melt during the recycling process. As described above, since the toner contains an external additive containing inorganic particles such as silica particles, even if the toner base particles melt, elemental analysis can be performed on the inorganic particles contained in the external additive. Note that the number of times of recycling estimated by the above calibration curve does not have to be an integer.

[0068] The scope of the present invention is not to be construed as being limited by the above specific examples.

[0069] 2. How to separate toner containers FIG. 4 is a flow chart of a method for separating toner containers according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0070] As shown in FIG. 4, a toner container sorting method according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a step of acquiring information regarding the mechanical strength of a toner container by the toner container information acquisition method, and a step of sorting the toner container according to the acquired toner container information.

[0071] 2-1. Step of acquiring information on toner container (step S210) In this process, information on the toner container is obtained by the above-mentioned toner container information obtaining method. The specific method is similar to the above-mentioned toner container information obtaining method, so a detailed description will be omitted.

[0072] 2-2. Step of sorting toner containers (step S220) In this step, the toner containers are sorted according to the information about the toner containers acquired in the step of acquiring information about the toner containers.

[0073] Examples of methods for sorting toner containers include a method of classifying toner containers into groups of similar strength based on the toner container information acquired above, a method of separating toner containers to be recycled from those not to be recycled, and a method of labeling toner containers with the number of times they have been recycled.

[0074] In the above-mentioned method for classifying and labeling toner containers, the toner containers are classified or labeled so that they can be crushed, processed, and manufactured according to the estimated number of times of recycling. For example, by classifying the toner containers according to the degree of decrease in strength (number of times of recycling), the amount of other resin (virgin material) to be added in a later step (step S411) for each classified toner container can be determined at this stage.

[0075] In the method for sorting toner containers to be recycled and toner containers not to be recycled, the target toner container is sorted as to whether or not to be recycled, depending on the information of the toner container acquired in the step of acquiring information of the toner container. From the viewpoint of increasing the accuracy of sorting, it is preferable to sort based on the number of recycling times estimated by the method for estimating the number of recycling times. Specifically, toner containers whose number of recycling times is a predetermined number or less are sorted as they maintain a predetermined strength and can be used for recycling, and toner containers whose number of recycling times is a predetermined number or more are sorted as they have a reduced strength and cannot be used for recycling.

[0076] More specifically, in the process of estimating the state of the toner container, if the amount of toner contained in the container is 7% or more, it is preferable not to use it for recycling, if it is 6% or more, it is more preferable not to use it for recycling, and if it is 5.5% or more, it is even more preferable not to use it for recycling.

[0077] 3. How to crush toner containers FIG. 5 is a flow chart of a method for crushing a toner container according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0078] As shown in FIG. 5, the method for crushing a toner container according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a step (step S310) of crushing the toner containers separated by the above-mentioned method for separating toner containers.

[0079] In the toner container crushing method according to the present invention, the toner container may be crushed or may only be crushed. The toner container to be crushed may be a toner container for which information on mechanical strength has been acquired, or may be a toner container for which information on mechanical strength has not been acquired. When crushing a toner container for which information on mechanical strength has not been acquired, as shown in FIG. 5, this embodiment includes a step of measuring the amount of toner (step S320) and a step of acquiring information on the mechanical strength of the toner container (S330) after the step of crushing the toner.

[0080] 3-1. Crushing the toner container (step S310) In this step, the toner containers separated by the above-mentioned toner container separation method are pulverized.

[0081] The method for crushing the toner container is not particularly limited, but examples include methods using a hammer crusher, a single-shaft crusher, and a twin-shaft crusher.

[0082] 3-2. Step of measuring the amount of toner (step S320) This process is performed on a toner container whose toner amount has not been measured. When the toner container is crushed in the toner container crushing process, the amount of toner contained in the container may be measured for the toner container after crushing. The method for measuring the amount of toner in the toner container is the same as the method for obtaining information on the toner container, and therefore a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0083] 3-3. Step of acquiring information regarding the mechanical strength of the toner container (step S330) This process is performed on a toner container whose toner amount has not been measured. When the toner container is crushed in the toner container crushing process, the amount of toner contained in the container may be measured for the toner container after crushing, and information on the toner container may be obtained based on the measured amount of toner. The method for obtaining information on the toner container is the same as the method for obtaining information on the toner container described above, and therefore a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0084] 4. Toner container processing method FIG. 6 is a flow chart of a method for fabricating a toner container according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0085] As shown in FIG. 6, a toner container processing method according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a step of melting and kneading toner containers separated by the above-mentioned toner container separation method or toner containers crushed by the above-mentioned toner container crushing method, and a step of molding the melt-kneaded product obtained by the above-mentioned melt-kneading.

[0086] 4-1. Melting and kneading the toner container (step S410) In this step, the toner containers separated by the above-mentioned method for separating toner containers or the toner containers crushed by the above-mentioned method for crushing toner containers are melted and kneaded.

[0087] The method for melt-kneading the toner container is not particularly limited, but examples include methods using a single-screw kneader and a twin-screw kneader.

[0088] The temperature at which the toner container is melted is not particularly limited, but is usually 150° C. or higher and 220° C. or lower.

[0089] When the toner containers separated by the above-mentioned toner container separation method are melted and kneaded, the separated toner containers are directly put into a kneading machine, etc., and melted and kneaded. When the toner containers crushed by the above-mentioned toner container crushing method are melted and kneaded, the crushed toner containers are put into a kneading machine, etc., and melted and kneaded.

[0090] In this step, melting and kneading may be carried out using a single-screw kneader or a twin-screw kneader, or melting and kneading may be carried out using separate machines.

[0091] As shown in FIG. 7, this process may include a step of adding another resin to the separated or pulverized toner container to generate a mixture, and a step of melting and kneading the generated mixture.

[0092] 4-1-1. Step of adding other resins to produce a mixture (step S411) In this step, another resin is added to the separated or pulverized toner container to produce a mixture.

[0093] In the present invention, the "other resin" is not particularly limited as long as it is a resin compatible with the resin contained in the toner container, but from the viewpoint of improving compatibility, it is preferable that the other resin is the same as the resin contained in the toner container. Also, from the viewpoint of improving the impact strength of the toner container molded after processing, it is preferable that the number of times that the other resin is recycled is less than the number of times that the toner container is recycled estimated by the method for obtaining information on the toner container, and it is more preferable that the number of times that the other resin is recycled is 0.

[0094] The mixing ratio of the separated or crushed toner container and the other resin in the mixture is changed according to the estimated state of the toner container. Specifically, the more the strength of the toner container acquired by the toner container information acquisition method deteriorates, the more the content of the other resin relative to the total mass of the mixture is adjusted. When the toner container information acquisition method includes a step of estimating the number of times the toner container has been recycled, the more the content of the other resin relative to the total mass of the mixture is adjusted. In this way, it is possible to determine the minimum amount of other resin required for ensuring the strength required for the toner container obtained by recycling the collected toner container. Therefore, when recycling, only the required amount of other resin can be added and melted and kneaded, which improves the efficiency of the work and reduces the cost of preparing materials.

[0095] 4-1-2. Melt-kneading the mixture (step S412) In this step, the mixture produced in the step of producing the mixture is melt-kneaded.

[0096] The method for melting and kneading the mixture is the same as the process for melting and kneading the toner container, and therefore a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0097] 4-2. Molding the molten mixture (step S420) In this step, the molten and kneaded product obtained in the step of melting and kneading the toner container is molded.

[0098] The shape of the molten mixture to be molded is not particularly limited, but examples include pelletization. The pelletization is carried out using a pelletizer or the like. Known pelletizers can be used.

[0099] The particle size of the pellets is not particularly limited, but is usually from 3 mm to 6 mm, and from the viewpoint of making the pellets easier to melt, it is preferably from 3 mm to 5 mm.

[0100] 5. Manufacturing method of toner container FIG. 8 is a flowchart of a method for manufacturing a toner container according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0101] As shown in FIG. 8, a method for manufacturing a toner container according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a step of melting the pellets obtained by the above-mentioned toner container processing method, and a step of molding the melted pellets into the shape of a toner container.

[0102] 5-1. Melting the pellets (step S510) In this step, the pellets obtained by the above-mentioned method for processing a toner container are melted.

[0103] The method for melting the pellets is not particularly limited, and any known method can be used.

[0104] The temperature at which the pellets are melted is not particularly limited, but is usually 150°C or higher and 220°C or lower.

[0105] 5-2. Step of forming into toner container shape (step S520) In this step, the pellets melted in the pellet melting step are molded into the shape of a toner container.

[0106] The method for forming the toner container shape is not particularly limited, but examples include blow molding and injection molding. From the viewpoint of reducing the cost of molding, blow molding is preferred.

[0107] The toner container information acquisition method, toner container sorting method, toner container crushing method, toner container processing method, and toner container manufacturing method according to the present invention may each be carried out independently or consecutively. [Specific example]

[0108] Experiments 1-25 The toner was removed by suction from a toner container with a recycling count of 1, estimated by the toner container information acquisition method, using the suction machine, and the toner container was then pulverized into flakes using the pulverizer. The resulting flakes were melt-kneaded with polyethylene resin (hereinafter referred to as virgin material) with a recycling count of 0, which had been previously pulverized into flakes using the pulverizer, and the resulting mixture was melt-kneaded using the twin-screw kneader, extruded, and processed into pellets to form a molding material. The resulting molding material was used to mold a toner container, and the molded toner container was filled with toner. The same procedure was performed for toner containers with recycling counts of 2 to 5, and the mixture ratio of the recycled toner container (hereinafter referred to as recycled material) and the virgin material was adjusted as shown in Tables 3 to 5, and Experiments 1 to 25 were performed.

[0109] <Measurement of impact strength> Test pieces were separately prepared in the same manner as in Experiments 1 to 25, and the Charpy impact strength was measured according to the method of JIS K 7111-1. Evaluation was then performed according to the following criteria, with ○ and △ being considered as passing. ○: Charpy impact strength 10kJ / mm 2 End △: Charpy impact strength 8kJ / mm 2 More than 10kJ / mm 2 less than ×: Charpy impact strength 8kJ / mm 2 less than

[0110] <Container drop test> In experiments 1 to 25, a toner container that had been filled with toner was dropped horizontally from a height of 1 m onto concrete, and visually checked for toner spillage. Those with no toner spillage were marked with an O, and those with toner spillage were marked with an X.

[0111] The results are summarized in Tables 3 to 5.

[0112] [Table 3]

[0113] [Table 4]

[0114] [Table 5]

[0115] From Tables 3 to 5, a relationship diagram (Figure 9) was created showing the effect of the recycled material content on impact strength for recycling counts 1 to 5. In addition, the impact strength was 8 kJ / mm 2 Figure 10 shows the maximum recycled material content when the above conditions are met.

[0116] As described above, by adjusting the mixture ratio of recycled material and virgin material according to the estimated number of recycling times, it was possible to suppress deterioration of the toner container even after repeated recycling times.

[0117] In addition, as shown in FIG. 10, the impact strength is acceptable at the estimated number of recycles, 8 kJ / mm 2It was possible to estimate the upper limit of the recycled material content for manufacturing the above toner containers. Note that Fig. 10 is applicable even if the estimated number of recycling times is not an integer. For example, if the estimated number of recycling times is two or less, the recycled material content should be set to 90% or less and mixed with virgin material, and if the estimated number of recycling times is more than two and not more than four, the recycled material content should be set to 70% or less and mixed with virgin material.

[0118] However, in Experiments 15, 20, and 24-25, the evaluation results were poor in the impact strength and drop test. Also, from Figures 9-10, the upper limit of the recycled content relative to the total mass of the mixture of recycled and virgin materials decreased with each recycling cycle. In other words, it was found that the virgin content must be increased with each recycling cycle. [Industrial Applicability]

[0119] The toner container information acquisition method, toner container sorting method, toner container crushing method, toner container processing method, and toner container manufacturing method of the present invention make it possible to estimate the degree of deterioration of a toner container and suppress the deterioration in the recycling of the toner container. Therefore, the present invention makes it possible to manufacture recycled toner containers that are less likely to break, and is expected to contribute to the advancement and spread of technology in the field. [Explanation of symbols]

[0120] S110 A process for measuring the amount of toner S120: A process for acquiring information on a toner container S210: A process for acquiring information on a toner container S220 Process of separating toner containers S310 Toner container crushing process S320 Toner quantity measurement process S330 A process for acquiring information on toner containers S410 Melting and kneading toner containers S411 Process for producing a mixture S412 Melting and kneading the mixture S420 Molding the molten mixture S510 Pellet melting process S520 Toner container molding process

Claims

1. A step of measuring the amount of toner contained in a resin forming a toner container; obtaining information regarding the mechanical strength of the toner container based on the measured amount of toner; having A method for acquiring toner container information.

2. The method for obtaining information on a toner container according to claim 1 , wherein the step of measuring the amount of toner is a step of measuring an amount of toner base particles contained in a resin that forms the toner container.

3. 3. The method for obtaining information on a toner container according to claim 1, wherein the step of measuring the amount of toner is a step of measuring an amount of an external additive contained in a resin forming the toner container.

4. The method for obtaining information about a toner container according to claim 1, wherein the amount of toner is measured by observing the toner container.

5. The method for obtaining information about a toner container according to claim 1, wherein the amount of toner is measured by observing a surface of the toner container.

6. The method for obtaining information on a toner container according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the amount of the toner is measured by elemental analysis.

7. The method for obtaining information about a toner container according to claim 6 , wherein the amount of the toner is measured by fluorescent X-ray analysis.

8. 8. The toner container information acquisition method according to claim 1, wherein the step of acquiring information regarding the mechanical strength is a step of estimating the number of times the toner container has been recycled.

9. The toner container information acquisition method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the toner container contains a polyolefin resin or a polystyrene resin.

10. acquiring information about a toner container by a method for acquiring information about a toner container according to any one of claims 1 to 9; sorting the toner containers according to the acquired information of the toner containers; having How to separate toner containers.

11. The toner container sorting method according to claim 10 , wherein the step of sorting the toner containers is a step of separating the toner containers into those to be recycled and those not to be recycled.

12. A method for sorting a toner container comprising the steps of: crushing the toner containers separated by the method for sorting a toner container according to claim 10 or 11; How to crush toner containers.

13. A process of melting and kneading the toner containers separated by the method for separating toner containers according to claim 10 or 11 or the toner containers pulverized by the method for separating toner containers according to claim 12; and forming the melt-kneaded product obtained by the melt-kneading. A method for processing a toner container.

14. The melt-kneading step includes: adding another resin to the separated or pulverized toner container to form a mixture; and melt-kneading the mixture, In the step of producing the mixture, a content of the other resin with respect to a total mass of the mixture to be obtained is changed according to the acquired information of the toner container. The method for processing a toner container according to claim 13.

15. The method for manufacturing a toner container according to claim 13 or 14, wherein the molding step is a step of pelletizing the molten and kneaded product.

16. A step of melting the pellets obtained by the method for processing a toner container according to claim 15; forming the molten pellets into a toner container; having A method for manufacturing a toner container.

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